Cigarette lighter



Sept, 10, 1935. v I I. FLORMAN Y 2,014,326

. CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed July 30, 1935 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES Ares orriesf CIGARETTE LIGHTER Irving Flor-man, New York, N. Y. Application July 30, 1935, Serial-No. 33,879

6 Claims.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighter which is entirely safe, and which is so arrangedthat it will not ignite accidentally under 15 any circumstances, but only when it is deliberately opened by the user.

Afurtherv object of the invention is to provide a lighter of this type which imparts a sudden jerk to a flint wheel, no matter how-the cover 20 may be operated manually, so. as to cause proper movement of the flint-wheel against the flint and thus to cause the ignition whenever the lighter is operated.

An additional object of the invention is to 25 provide an arrangement in which a member separate from and having a one-way connection with a flint wheel is latched against movement while the cover is being opened, during which operating movement a spring tension is placed on 30 the movable member, and then is released suddenly as the cover reaches or approaches its fully open position. More particularly, my invention contemplates the use of a separate snuifing member for covering the wickas such an 35 element.

Such an arrangement is particularly desirable since it makes it unnecessary to lock the flint wheel itself against movement and since it ensures proper operation of the spring and flint 40 wheel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of extinguishing element which will operate properly despite any wear which may occur in the lighter.

45 Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following descriptlon, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

50 In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation the lighter according to my invention with the cover partly raised by the hand of the user.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the lighter in open or ignited position.

Fig. 3 is a side view with parts broken away of the upper portion of the lighter with the cover closed. p I

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. 5

As shown in the drawing, the lighter com-'- prises a body portion or casing 2 forming a res ervoir or fuel chamber, this beingfllled with some absorbent material 4 such as cotton. This reservor may be filled from the bottom through a fuel plug 6. In the top wall 8 of the lighter body is a tube ill for receiving a wick i2 which extends downwardly through the tube into the cotton within the body 2. A flint tube it closed at the bottom by a plug' iii-also extends lipwardly through the body, and is provided with a spring l3 so as to hold a piece of flint 2D in pos.tion in the top wall of the casing.

On either side of the flint, cars 22 extend upwardly from the top wall 8, these cars being spaced inwardly a slight distance from the outer surfaces of the side walls. A cover 2 3 is pivotaliy mounted at the lower rear corner of the ears 22, on a pin 26.

In the cars 22 is mounted a transverse shaft 25 28. A flint wheel 36 is rotatably mounted on said shaft in a positon to engage the flint 29. The invention provides means whereby the raising of the cover will cause such flint wheel to turn and strike sparks from the flint onto the wick thereby igniting the same.

Pivoted on the shaft 28 is a snuffer member 32 having a snuffing portion 34 arranged at such adistance from the shaft 28 as to cover the wick when the snuifer member is depressed. The 35 snufier member has leg or bearing portions 36 on each side of the flint wheel 36] which bear on the shaft-28. On the inner face of one of these members 36 is arranged a spring tooth 38 which is adapted to cooperate with ratchet teeth 40 40 on the adjacent side wall of the flint wheel 30. This forms a one-way connection between the snuffer member and the flint wheel, so that when the snuflcr member is raised it will impart motion to the flint wheel, while during its movement toward covering position the flint wheel may remain stationary.

In order to impart motion to the snufier member whenthe cover is raised, it is provided with an upstanding portion 2 to which is attached a coil spring 44 the other end of which is connected to a rod or pin 56 mounted adjacent the top of the cover 25. However, the snuifer member is normally held against movement by a shoulder or-notch 48 provided in one of the members 36 and which may be engaged by a pin on a latch member 52 pivoted on pin 26. A spring 56 normally holds this latch member in such position that the pin 50 engages beneath the shoulder 48 and thus locks the snuffer member against movement towards uncovering or raised position.

The latch member 52 also has an upward extension 58 which lies in the path of movement of a pin or post 60 mounted on the inside wall of the cover 24.

The operation of this arrangement is as follows: When the user wishes to ignite the wick, he pushes the cover upwardly with his thumb in the general manner shown in Fig. l in the direction of the arrow. As the cover rises, the spring 44 is placed under tension because the pin 46 moves away from the portion 42 of the snuffer member. The snuifer member is held down because the pin 50 of the latch 52 is engaged beneath the shoulder 48. When the cover reaches or approaches open position, the pin 60 strikes the upward extension of latch 52 and pushes pin 50 out of engagement with shoulder 48. The snuffer member is now free to rise, and the spring 44 will pull it to uncovering position. -As the shutter member moves upwardly, because of its one-way connection with the flint wheel it imparts a sudden spinning 'motion to the flint wheel which throws sparks against the wick and ignites the same.

When the user wishes to extinguish the flame and restore the lighter to a condition for further operation, the cover is depressed. As the cover begins to move downwardly, its front wall engages the front wall of the snufflng portion 34 and pushes the same downwardly. As the cover and snuffer approach closed position, the snufiing portion 34 swings out of the path of the front wail of the cover, but at the same time pin 46 engages upward extension 41 oi. the snuffer member and forces the same downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3. The tension of spring 44 is now sufficient to hold the cover closed, since latch member 52 has moved under the action of its spring and the pin 50 has again engaged beneath shoulder 48 to lock the snuffer member in place.

From the above description, it is evident that in order to operatethe lighter all that is necessary is to hold the body of the lighter in the hand and raise the cover with the thumb in the manner indicated in Fig. 1. In order to extinguish the lighter the cover is moved back, for example with the forefinger, to closed position. The tension of the spring will hold the lighter closed, until pressure is again exerted by the thumb to open it.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1.. In a cigarette lighter, a wick, a rotatable flint wheel, means to hold a flint in engagement with said wheel, a pivoted snuffer member, having a snuifer portion adapted to cover and uncover said wick, a one-way connection between said snuifcr member and said flint wheel, a cover movable to cover and uncover said flint wheel and snufier member, a spring having one end connected to said snuffer member and the other end connected to said cover, means to hold said snuffer member against movement, and means operated by movement of said cover as it approaches open position to release said holding means, whereby raising of said cover first places said spring under tension while said snuffer member is held in closed position, and then releases the shutter member so that the same is moved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

2. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a wick mounted in said casing, a shaft mounted on said casing, a flint wheel mounted on said shaft, means to hold a flint in engagement with said wheel, a

snuffer member pivoted on said shaft, and further having a snufi'er portion adapted to cover and uncover said wick, a one-way connection between said snuffer member and said flint wheel, a cover pivoted. on said casing and enclosing said flint wheel and said snuiler member, aspring having one end connected to said snuifer member and the other end connected to said cover. means to hold said snuffcr member against movement, and means operable by movement of said cover as it approaches open position to release said holding means, whereby raising of said cover first places said spring under tension while said sn'uffer member is held in closed position, and then releases 1 the snuffer member so that the same is moved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

3. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a wick mounted in said casing, a shaft mounted on said casing, a flint wheel mounted on said shaft, means to hold a flint in engagement with said wheel, a snuffer member having bearing portions pivoted on said shaft on either side of said flint wheel and further having a snuffer portion adapted to 1;

cover and uncover said wick, a one-way connection between said snuffer member and said flint wheel, a pivoted latch member, cooperating means on said snuffer member and latch member to hold the snuffer member against rotation, a cover pivoted on said casing and enclosing said flint wheel and said snuffer member, a spring having one end connected to said snuffer member and the other end connected to said cover, and means operable by movement of said cover as .it approaches open position to shift said latch member, whereby raising of saidcover first places said spring under tension while said latch member holds said snuffer member in closed position, and then shifts said latch member to release the snuffer member so that the same ismoved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

4. In a cigarette lighter, a casing having a fuel chamber therein, and having a top wall, a wick extending through the top wall of the said casing and communicating with said fuel chamber, a flint mounted in the top wall of the casing, ears upwardly extending from the top wall of the casing, a shaft mounted in said ears, a flint wheel mounted on said shaft in engagement with said flint, a snuffer member, portions pivoted on said shaft on either side of said flint wheel, and further having a snuffer portion adapted to cover and uncover said wick, a spring pawl on the inner wall of one of said bearing portions, said flint wheel having inclined teeth on the side thereof adjacent said spring pawl so as to form a oneway connection between said snuffer member and said flint wheel, a pivoted latch member, cooperating means on said snuffer member and latch member to hold the snuffer member against rotation, a cover pivoted on said casing and enclosing said flint wheel and said snuffer member, a spring having one end connected to said snuifer member and the other end connected to said cover, and means operable by movement of said cover as it approaches open position to shift said latch member, whereby raising of said cover first places said spring under tension while said latch member holds said snuffer member in closed position, and then shifts said latch. member to release the snufl'er member so that the same is moved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

5. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a wick mounted in said casing, a shaft mounted on said casing, a flint wheel mounted on said shaft, means to hold a flint in engagement with said wheel, a snuffer member having bearing portions pivoted on said shaft on either side of said flint wheel and further having a snuffer portion adapted to cover and uncover said wick, aspring pawl on the inner wall of one of said bearing portions, said flint wheel having inclined teeth on the side thereof adjacent said spring pawl so as to form a one-way connection between said snuffer memher and said flint wheel, a pivoted latch member, cooperating means on said snuffer member and latch member to hold the snuffer member against rotation, a cover pivoted on said casing and enclosing said flint wheel and said snuffer member, a spring having one end connected to said snuffer member and the other end connected to said cover, and means operable by movement of said cover as it approaches open position to shift said latch member, whereby raising of said cover first places said spring under tension while said latch member holds said snuffer member in closed position, and then shifts said latch member to release the snuffer member so that the same is moved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

6. In a cigarette lighter, a casing having a fuel chamber therein, and having a top wall, a wick extending through the top wall of the said casing and communicating with said fuel chamber, a flint mounted in the top wall of the casing, ears upwardly extending from the top wall of said casing, a shaft mounted in said cars, a flint wheel mounted on said shaft in engagement with said flint, a snufier member, portions pivoted on said shaft on either side of said flint wheel, and further' having a snuifer portion adapted to cover and uncover said wick, a spring pawl on the inner wall of one of said bearing portions, said flint wheel having inclined teeth on the side thereof adjacentsaid spring pawl so as to form a one-way connection between said snufier member and said flint wheel, said snufier member having a shoulder at the rear side thereof, a pivoted latch member having a pinengageable beneath said shoulder, a spring normally holding said latch member in a position in which said pin is beneath said shoulder, a cover pivoted on said ears, and enclosing said flint wheel and said snuffer member, a spring having one end connected to said snuffer member and the other end connected to said cover, said latch member having an extension thereon, and a pin on said cover engageable-with said extension when said cover moves towards open position to shift said latch member, whereby raising of said cover flrst places said spring under tension while said latch member holds said snuffer member in closed position, and then shifts said latch member to release the snuffer member so that the same is moved suddenly by said spring and imparts a sudden rotation to the flint wheel.

IRVING FLORMAN. 

